In Ontario's real estate market, first impressions drive decisions. Buyers scroll through dozens of listings online before they ever request a showing, and curb appeal — both digital and physical — determines whether your home makes the shortlist. Exterior cleaning is one of the highest-return investments a seller can make before listing, with some services delivering over 100% ROI on the cleaning cost relative to the value it adds. This guide covers every exterior cleaning service worth considering, in the right order, at the right time.
First Impressions and Home Value: The Numbers
Real estate professionals consistently rank curb appeal among the top factors influencing sale price and time on market. The National Association of Realtors has found that curb appeal projects can return 100% or more of their cost, and landscape and exterior improvements are among the highest-ranked items in buyer surveys. In the competitive Kitchener-Waterloo market, where comparable homes are routinely priced within a few percentage points of each other, exterior condition can be the deciding factor in which home gets the offer.
The numbers aren't abstract. A home listed at $750,000 where buyers perceive the exterior as well-maintained and move-in ready may receive offers at asking or above. The same home with a stained driveway, algae-covered siding, and grimy eavestroughs signals deferred maintenance — and buyers adjust their offers downward accordingly, often by more than the actual cost of remediation. Studies on curb appeal consistently show a 5–10% impact on perceived value, which on a $700,000 Ontario home translates to $35,000–$70,000 in buyer perception before a single showing.
"Buyers make their emotional decision within seconds of pulling up to a property. If the driveway is stained and the siding is green, they're already mentally deducting from their offer before they've walked through the front door."
The online dimension compounds this. The majority of buyers in Ontario first encounter a listing on Realtor.ca, Zillow, or their agent's portal. Listing photos taken against a clean, well-presented exterior look dramatically better than the same home with a film of algae on the siding or a oil-stained driveway. Photography is the first showing — and exterior cleaning directly improves it.
The Highest-ROI Exterior Cleaning Services
Not all exterior cleaning delivers equal return. Here is a breakdown of the services that offer the best value-to-cost ratio for sellers in Ontario, ranked by visibility and buyer impact.
1. Driveway and Walkway Pressure Washing
The driveway is one of the first things buyers see — and one of the most frequently neglected. Ontario driveways take a beating: road salt, oil drips, tire marks, winter grime, and organic growth from wet seasons leave concrete and asphalt looking decades older than they are. A professional driveway cleaning with a surface cleaner attachment produces a dramatically uniform result that is immediately noticeable in listing photos.
Cost for a typical Kitchener-Waterloo driveway cleaning: $120–$250. Perceived value added in buyer impressions: significant. The ROI on driveway cleaning is among the highest of any pre-listing task because the improvement is so visually obvious.
Oil stains require pre-treatment with a commercial degreaser before pressure washing. Address these specifically — an oil stain in the middle of a freshly cleaned driveway draws the eye immediately. If stains are old and deeply set, manage expectations: they may lighten significantly rather than disappear completely.
2. House Washing (Siding)
Siding covers the largest visual surface area of your home. Green algae, grey mildew, and oxidation chalking make even well-maintained homes look tired. The appropriate method depends on siding type: soft washing for vinyl, wood, stucco, and EIFS; lower-pressure washing for brick and painted surfaces.
A full house soft wash on an average-size Ontario home costs $250–$450 and produces one of the most dramatic before-and-after improvements of any service. The contrast between algae-streaked and clean vinyl siding is immediately apparent in listing photography. Most Ontario homes that haven't been washed in 2+ years will show meaningful improvement.
3. Roof Soft Washing
Black streaks, green moss, and grey lichen on a roof signal two things to buyers: the home has been neglected, and the roof may need work. Even if the roof has years of life remaining, biological growth makes it look aged. A professional roof soft wash at $350–$600 removes this concern from buyer minds before they've ever read the property disclosure.
Roof cleaning requires scheduling far enough in advance that the biological die-off and rinsing process completes before photography day. Plan for at least 2–3 weeks post-treatment for full results to appear.
4. Window Cleaning
Dirty windows are immediately visible in listing photos, particularly exterior shots where window reflections show streaks and film. Professional window cleaning for an average Ontario home costs $150–$350 and affects both interior and exterior photography. Buyers also notice clean windows during showings — natural light, unobstructed by grime, makes interior spaces feel larger and more appealing.
5. Gutter Cleaning and Flush
Overflowing or stained gutters — the dark drip streaks running down fascia below clogged downspouts — are a visible deferred maintenance flag. Gutter cleaning at $150–$300 removes clogs and debris, and a fascia wipe-down removes the staining below. Buyers notice this, and home inspectors flag clogged gutters routinely. Addressing it before listing removes a negotiating point.
6. Deck, Fence, and Patio Cleaning
Outdoor living spaces are heavily featured in real estate marketing — especially in the post-pandemic market where outdoor space drives buyer decisions. A greyed, mildewed deck or green-stained interlock patio photographs poorly and reads as "needs work." Deck and fence cleaning at $200–$400 removes biological growth and weathering grey to reveal the natural colour of the wood, dramatically improving outdoor space photography.
| Service | Typical Cost | Buyer Visibility | Photo Impact | ROI Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Driveway pressure washing | $120–$250 | Very High | Very High | ★★★★★ |
| House soft washing (siding) | $250–$450 | Very High | Very High | ★★★★★ |
| Window cleaning | $150–$350 | High | Very High | ★★★★★ |
| Roof soft washing | $350–$600 | High | High | ★★★★☆ |
| Gutter cleaning | $150–$300 | Medium | Medium | ★★★★☆ |
| Deck / fence cleaning | $200–$400 | High | Very High | ★★★★☆ |
| Patio / interlock cleaning | $150–$350 | High | High | ★★★★☆ |
Timing: When to Book Each Service
Timing your exterior cleaning relative to the listing date matters. Book too early and the cleaning may weather before photos are taken; book too late and you're scrambling with rain delays, scheduling conflicts, and time pressure. Here is the optimal sequence for a planned listing.
4–6 Weeks Before Listing: Roof and Structural Services
Roof soft washing should be completed earliest because the full visual results require 2–4 weeks to appear as dead organisms are gradually washed away by rain. Scheduling roof cleaning 4–6 weeks before your listing date ensures the roof looks its best in photography.
Gutter cleaning also fits in this window. Gutters don't need to be freshly done on photography day — they just need to be clean, and cleaning now ensures any fascia staining has time to dry and be addressed before photos.
2–3 Weeks Before Listing: Siding, Deck, and Patio
House soft washing and deck/patio/fence cleaning are most visually impactful when done 2–3 weeks before listing. This gives surfaces adequate drying time — important for any wood surfaces where you plan to apply a fresh stain or sealer — while keeping the clean looking fresh for photography and early showings.
If you're planning to apply deck stain before listing, the pressure washing needs to happen at minimum 48–72 hours before staining (longer for cedar and dense hardwoods), so build this into the timeline.
1 Week Before Listing: Driveway and Walkways
Driveways and concrete walkways should be cleaned as close to the listing and photography dates as possible. Driveways in Ontario accumulate road grime and tire marks quickly, and a freshly cleaned driveway a week before listing photos typically still looks excellent on photography day. Avoid the last 24 hours before photos if possible — damp concrete can look patchy in photography.
2–3 Days Before Listing Photos: Windows
Window cleaning is most time-sensitive. Windows collect fingerprints, smudges, and construction dust quickly, and early-spring pollen can recoat exterior glass within a day or two. Schedule window cleaning as close to photography day as possible — typically 2–3 days before — with interior cleaning on the morning of photos if available.
Preparing Your Exterior for Listing Photography
Professional real estate photographers can work wonders — but only with what they have to work with. Exterior cleaning sets the stage, but there are additional steps to maximizing listing photo quality that work alongside your cleaning schedule.
Driveway and Front Entry
Clear all vehicles from the driveway on photography day — even attractive vehicles. Photos of driveways without cars look more spacious and uncluttered. Move garbage bins, recycling containers, and garden hoses out of frame. Sweep any remaining debris from the freshly cleaned driveway the morning of photos.
Landscaping and Seasonal Planting
The exterior cleaning and landscaping presentation work together. A clean driveway against an overgrown lawn looks inconsistent — buyers notice. Trim edges, mow, and consider inexpensive seasonal plantings in visible planters or beds near the front entry. In Ontario, early spring listings benefit from a fresh layer of mulch in garden beds, which photographs well and signals that the property is actively maintained.
Garage and Side Yard
If the garage door faces the street, it's a major visual element in listing photos. Many garage doors benefit from a cleaning or a fresh coat of paint before listing — discolouration and rust streaks on garage doors are easy to overlook as the homeowner but immediately visible to buyers. Side yard clutter (ladders, lumber, miscellaneous equipment) should be removed or concealed before exterior photography.
Lighting for Evening Showings
Consider adding or replacing exterior lighting fixtures before listing. A cleaned home with attractive, functioning exterior lighting photographs beautifully at dusk and makes evening showings feel welcoming. This is a low-cost improvement that pairs naturally with an exterior cleaning program — there's no point in great lighting fixtures covered in cobwebs.
"The goal of pre-listing exterior cleaning isn't just to get clean — it's to create a property that photographs at its absolute best and presents consistently to buyers from the first online impression through the final walkthrough."
Cost vs Value: What to Expect in Ontario
Let's put concrete numbers on the full pre-listing exterior cleaning program for a typical Kitchener-Waterloo home — a 2-storey, 1,800 square foot detached home on a standard lot with an attached garage, interlock walkway, deck, and standard landscaping.
| Service | Estimated Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Roof soft washing | $400–$500 | Medium-density algae/moss, 2-storey |
| House soft washing (siding) | $300–$400 | Standard 2-storey, vinyl or brick |
| Driveway pressure washing | $150–$200 | 2-car, concrete or asphalt |
| Interlock walkway cleaning | $100–$150 | Front entry walkway |
| Deck cleaning | $200–$300 | Standard deck, no staining |
| Window cleaning | $200–$300 | Interior and exterior, 2-storey |
| Gutter cleaning | $150–$250 | Full perimeter clean and flush |
| Total Range | $1,500–$2,100 | Full pre-listing package |
On a $700,000 Ontario home, a $1,500–$2,100 exterior cleaning investment that contributes to even a 1–2% improvement in sale price — $7,000–$14,000 — represents a return of 4–10x on the cleaning cost. Even at the most conservative estimates, exterior cleaning consistently delivers more value than it costs for sellers.
Bundled Packages Save Money
Booking multiple services with a single exterior cleaning company rather than separate contractors for each service significantly reduces the total cost. When D&D Home Services completes multiple services in one visit, the per-service price decreases because equipment setup, travel, and time are shared. A full pre-listing package booked together through D&D's pre-listing cleaning service will typically cost 15–25% less than booking each service separately.
What Not to Skip
If budget is a constraint, prioritize in this order: driveway cleaning, house siding washing, and window cleaning. These three services address the highest-visibility surfaces in listing photography and buyer first impressions. Roof, gutters, deck, and patio are important but secondary to the three primary surfaces buyers evaluate on arrival and in photos.
Working With Your Realtor on Exterior Presentation
Experienced realtors in the Kitchener-Waterloo and Guelph markets understand the value of exterior presentation and will often raise it proactively during pre-listing consultations. Here is how to make the most of that conversation.
Get a Pre-Listing Walk-Through
Ask your realtor to do a critical exterior walk-through of your property as if they were a buyer arriving for the first time. What do they notice? What draws the eye negatively? This outside perspective often identifies things homeowners have stopped seeing — the algae streak that's been on the garage wall for two years, the interlock moss that's become background, the fence boards that are uniformly grey. Your realtor's observations should directly inform your exterior cleaning priorities.
Coordinate Photography Timing
Once exterior cleaning is booked, confirm the photography date with your realtor and ensure it falls after all cleaning is complete and surfaces have had adequate drying time. Many realtors book photographers 2–3 weeks after the pre-listing walkthrough — build your cleaning timeline backward from that date.
The Disclosure and Inspection Angle
Beyond aesthetics, exterior cleaning reduces the number of deferred maintenance items an inspector can flag. Home inspectors commonly note: algae growth on roof (appears aged), clogged gutters, moss on deck, stained concrete. Each one of these items becomes a negotiating point for buyers — a request for a price concession or for the seller to complete work before closing. Exterior cleaning removes several of these items from the inspection report before it's ever written.
Open House Maintenance
If your home is listed through an active selling season, exterior cleaning doesn't end at photography day. Ontario weather — particularly in spring — means driveways accumulate fresh grime, gutters catch new debris, and siding can show new growth. Schedule a light refresher touch on the most visible surfaces every 3–4 weeks during an active listing period, particularly if the home is holding repeated open houses. A quick driveway rinse and gutter check between weekends of showing activity keeps the property looking its best.
Key Takeaways
- Curb appeal improvements consistently deliver among the highest ROI of any pre-listing investment, with a 5–10% impact on perceived home value.
- Driveway cleaning, house siding washing, and window cleaning are the three highest-priority services for listing photography and buyer first impressions.
- Roof soft washing should be booked 4–6 weeks before listing to allow full results to develop; window cleaning should be as close to photography day as possible.
- A full pre-listing exterior cleaning package for a typical Ontario home costs $1,500–$2,100 — a fraction of the value it adds in buyer perception.
- Bundling multiple services with one company reduces total cost by 15–25% compared to booking separately.
- Exterior cleaning removes common inspection flagging points — algae on roofs, clogged gutters, moss on decks — before they become buyer negotiating leverage.
- Work with your realtor to time cleaning services relative to photography day and open house scheduling.
